One With You
by Re-Fantasy-Goddess
Summary: Rinoa, a young journalist, is dumped high and dry by her boyfriend, Seifer. In her need for answers comes truths that she wishes she had never descovered, along with a man that may well be her soulmate.
1. Dead End

One With You

A FFVIII Fanfiction by: **Kayla Martin** A.K.A **Kei** A.K.A **Re-Fantasy-Goddess**  
>I do not own any of these characters, only the storyline. Review and such. I would appreciate no Rinoa bashing. It seriously annoys me.<p>

**Chapter 1: The End**

The young man leaned forward, sweat clinging to his body that lay beneath the white blanket, and pressed his mouth to hers. She responded, like always, but her green eyes flashed in excitement. She'd been waiting for this and it had been easy; hardly a challenge. He'd fallen in her trap readily, taking only two weeks for him to take her to his bed and now, as he held her, she knew she'd won. She always won.

Seifer lay beside the woman, running a hand across her body that he'd become so fond of. He hardly felt guilty for his unfaithful actions. After all, his real girlfriend hadn't put out once even though they'd been together for two years. Rinoa was sweet, and he did like her, maybe he'd even loved her, but ever since this beauty had stepped into his life, he just couldn't help himself. As he watched her, she looked away from his gaze and turned onto her back, her chest exposing itself when the sheet fell away. He felt a flutter in his stomach as he stared openly.

"Seifer…" She started, sighing deeply as though she didn't want to finish. "I… I can't be with you is you're going to be with her too." The woman sat up, her lovely face contorting in obvious pain.

"I didn't want to hurt her. You can't keep both of us, you have to choose." She finished, turning her face back to him, her brows knitted together. Seifer sat up and placed a hand to her cheek. He hadn't wanted to hurt Rinoa either. It just happened. He watched the woman beside him for a moment. He knew without a doubt that he wanted the woman that he now touched. He also knew that, even though he cared for Rinoa, he knew he had to hurt her. So, with his mind decided, he leaned forward again and kissed the woman he knew he now loved.

Rinoa gazed at her reflection for a moment and pulled her hair into a ponytail. She realized as she thought of the man that would be arriving any second, how incredibly happy she was. She'd been gone for about two weeks, off on a business trip with her father to Balamb city. She had enjoyed the trip but missed Seifer dearly. They had only spoken over the phone but now she was back home in Deling city. A very large area that housed multiple businesses.

Seifer had called her the moment she gotten back to set up a romantic date at The Swan. She giggled excitedly as she thought of it, making sure to hold her mascara brush away from her face. She barely ever wore makeup but she knew this was the night, the night he would propose. She smiled into the bathroom mirror as she finished applying her cosmetics. Once she was done, skipped into her bedroom and smoothed her pale, gold dress. It was lovely, the top straps crisscrossed, the dress clinging comfortably to her, and ending at the middle of her thigh where about three inches of the silk turned translucent.

Rinoa had bought it on her last day in Balamb and was incredibly glad that she did. She twirled happily before going to her dresser and tossing on her necklace, one she wore everyday no matter what. It was her mother's wedding band, silver and hanging on a delicate matching chain. Rinoa's mother had died when the girl was ten. She'd worn the necklace ever since as it brought her comfort.

At that moment, her dog Angelo, one she'd gotten from her father once her mother had passed, pranced over to her. Rinoa reached and scratched his ears and patted his head. She would hug him, like she usually did, but she couldn't, afraid his fur would cling to her dress.

"I love my puppy, yes I do!" She said to him, making the dog yip happily. Just then, the doorbell rang making Rinoa jump before hastily walking to the door, Angelo following close behind.

She turned the knob and opened the apartment door, Seifer waiting on the other side. A smile broke across her face. She realized then that her face was sore. He tilted his head slightly and appraised her appearance, ignoring the growl that resounded from behind the girl as Angelo had always disliked him. She was beautiful, he couldn't deny that. He wondered briefly if the dress was new.

"Hey Rinoa, you look great." He stated in a husky voice. He'd always been attracted to her and when she wore things like that, he really realized just how much. He turned his blue eyes to her chocolate ones and held out a tanned hand.

"Shall we?" He asked. Rinoa smiled wistfully as she took his hand, letting him lead her out of the apartment building. Outside was cold; snow still clung to the sidewalk. It was the middle of November, and had just begun snowing a few weeks ago.

The couple strolled down one of the many streets in Deling. Rinoa held Seifers hand, feeling content in his presence. She glanced up at him.

"I've missed you. I'm so glad I'm back." She sighed happily after she said this. Seifer glanced down at the woman, torn. She was so sweet, too innocent. Rinoa gazed straight ahead, a gentle smile playing across her features. Seifer turned his gaze away from her face, his stomach twisting. He took a deep breath, knowing he had made his decision and he was going to stick by it. Seifer knew he couldn't have both women, however tempting that thought may be. After a few moments, The Swan, the restaurant he had made reservations at, came into view. Rinoa grinned at him, her perfect teeth showing.

As they stepped through the glass doors, heated air sweeping over them, Seifer tried to think of the words he would say to her. He'd decided before that he wouldn't… or couldn't confess to her that he had cheated. Seifer couldn't hurt her any more than he had to. After a moment, a waiter came.

"Reservations, under the name Almasy." He stated to the man. The waiter nodded and led the two to an isolated table near the band, who played calm, romantic music. Once they sat, Rinoa took in the scenery of the restaurant. It really was lovely, the whole place was tinted ocean blue, candle the only thing lighting the tables, the tables circular and the chair were cushioned in blue silk.

Rinoa soon ordered along with Seifer. He decided to wait until after the meal, and he squelched the voice that said he was only trying to postpone it. It didn't take long for their food to come, along with their drinks. Rinoa had gotten tea, and she grimaced when Seifer had ordered vodka. She had never enjoyed his drinking, especially when he downed it as fast as he was at the moment.

She looked away from him, shaking off her discomfort, and began her meal. It was sea food, something she'd always enjoyed. Seifer had gotten a steak, typical guy. The two ate in silence, listening to the lovely music that filled the area. It wasn't long until they were done and Rinoa sat, sipping at her tea, looking content. Seifer cleared his throat.

"Rinoa…" He said, gazing at her. She turned her head to him and he watched her face take on a look of confusion. He ignored that and began.

"I know we've been together for two years, and you know I care about you but…" He paused. What could he say? Seifer turned his head for a moment before gazing back at her. Rinoa looked frightened in that moment and he was quite sure what she was thinking. He took a deep breath.

"But I can't do this anymore. I'm sorry Rinoa." He stopped for a moment. When she just sat there, saying nothing he began to panic.

" Rinoa, I know this is out of the blue but… I just don't think you're the one for me." Seifer finished. Rinoa sat her tea down, turning her gaze away from the blonde man. She felt her heart beating irratically. She had been so sure that he was going to use tonight to propose, not to leave her. But now, as she glanced at his face, she knew. Even though his features were full of pity, she knew he wasn't in love with her anymore. It was in his eyes and obviously in his words. _He doesn't love me_, she thought. She felt her stomach drop; her eyes began to sparkle with the tears that decided to make their appearance.

_He doesn't love me_

**Author's notes**: This is a rewrite of the original chapter one. I cut out the last bit of chapter 1 and will be moving that to chapter 2. If there are any spelling or grammar errors, I apologize. I was very tired when I wrote this. Please review, I'd like to know what you think.


	2. Never Look Back

One With You

A FFVIII Fanfiction by: **Kayla Martin** A.K.A **Kei** A.K.A **Re-Fantasy-Goddess**  
>I do not own any of these characters, only the storyline. Review and such. I would appreciate no Rinoa bashing. It seriously annoys me.<p>

**Chapter 2: A New Day**

The next morning, Rinoa woke to the sound of birds chirping, cars coming and going and people going about their daily business. She turned to stare out the window that rested in the wall near her bed. Everyone seemed impervious to her pain. Then again, no one else knew. The woman sighed and pulled the comforter over her head. She hadn't wanted this. She never was any good at being alone. She heard her blue cellphone vibrate against the glass of her nightstand and she groaned. Angelo peeked out of the covers to stare at the object, rustling the blanket and shifted them off of Rinoa.

With a traitorous glare at her very large 'puppy', she twisted around onto her stomach and grabbed the device as Angelo jumped from the bed and pranced off into the kitchen to eat. Rinoa flipped open her cute phone and stared at the text message. It was her best friend, Quistis Trepe. A woman she had known since kindergarden. The blonde female worked at a nearby college by the name of Galbadia Institute, working as a professor and being damned proud of that fact.

_Meet me at SB, I heard what happened._ It read. Rinoa felt tears well up in her eyes again but forced them away. _Who had told her_, she thought. _Seifer_? She doubted it. Rinoa shoved up and nearly tripped on her way off of her large bed. She walked to the bathroom, ignoring the reflection that would show her puffy eyes from crying all night, and jumped in the shower.

She made sure to make the water hot so the steam would relax her eyes and clear away the red splotches from her face. She refused to cry again as she shampooed and conditioned her hair. She grabbed her poof and began washed her body in cocoa-butter wash. Once she was done rinsing, she stepped from the shower and toweled off. Rinoa wrapped the towel around her and stared into the mirror above her sink. It was mostly misted over from her bathing but she could see that she no longer looked as if she'd been crying. Not really.

She sighed as she left the room and walked through the hall to reach her room. Angelo was there, head resting on his paws and watching her. Rinoa smiled sadly at him.

"Love you too, puppy." She said, turning to her dresser and throwing on a blue skirt, a black tank top and a long blue coat that reached to just above her ankles. With a halfhearted wave to Angelo, she walked to the apartment door and shoved her black boots on before leaving. She locked the door behind her and shoved the keys into her coat pocket.

The apartment hall was nice, typical for an apartment complex. She walked by multiple doors that led into her neighbors homes, many being her friends seeing as Rinoa tended to be outgoing and sociable. She reached the elevators and took one to the lobby, skipping the stairs that she usually took. Once the elevator bell dinged and she reached the lobby, the man at the front desk immediately smiling at the woman. She waved at him as she stepped from the building, frigid air immediately hitting her in the face. _At least I don't have to worry about color being in my cheeks,_ she thought absently.

The woman turned left and began her trek down the icy street, weaving through the crowded sidewalk. When Quistis had messaged Rinoa earlier, she had asked to meet at SB which was actually the local Starbucks, their favorite hangout ever since they were teenagers. She made her way there now, intent on acting nonchalant about the whole breakup, all the while hoping Quistis wouldn't see through her façade.

Rinoa walked by the Garden Corporation where she worked. She'd been offered a job as a journalist just out of college by this corporation and loved it. The place was incredibly well known and she'd been shocked by the unexpected offer but accepted it without a second thought. She was happy that Quistis wasn't the only one of them that was well off.

Rinoa finally reached the Starbucks. She stopped just outside the door and took a deep breath and swept a hand through her hair as she walked in. The heated air blew over her as she spotted Quistis, the beautiful blonde seated by the window. She wore pink, as usual and maroon glasses framed her lovely eyes.

Rinoa made her way over and pulled out the chair across from the blonde, seating herself. Quistis looked up as she snapped her phone shut, smiling at Rinoa sadly. The blonde scooted a coffe over to the brunette that she had previously ordered. Rinoa lifted it to her lips and sipped. Caramel latte, her favorite.

"I heard…" She stated. Rinoa's eyes jerked to her sympathetic ones. Confusion crossed the brunette's face as Quistis looked away.

"From Zell. The boy has such a big mouth." She answered.

"Lovely." Rinoa hissed out, bitterly, as she leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed. Zell was Seifer's brother and he was someone that couldn't keep a secret to save his life. Quistis forced a smile.

"Hey, at least he didn't cheat." She said. Her attempts at trying to cheer Rinoa up were completely useless. The woman bristled, turned her head and glaring out the window.

"That we know of." She seethed. Quistis leaned back slightly, shock gently laced in her features. After a moment, the blonde shook her head and stood.

"I'm so sorry for you, Rinoa. You deserve better than him anyway." She said, grabbing her coffee and phone, which she flipped open immediately. Rinoa stared at her for a moment, not believing that she would leave so soon. The blonde turned her gaze away from her phone to Rinoa.

"I've got to go to work, I'll call you later though." Quistis explained, making Rinoa remember that her class started earlier. She was a professor after all. Rinoa slunk back in her chair as she sipped at her caramel latte. _She sure was distracted,_ She noticed. _I hope everything's alright at her job._

Rinoa walked through the glass doors leading into her workplace. The building was beautiful, modernly decorated and architected. She glanced at the woman at the front desk, who nodded politely at her, and took the elevator to the employee floor. Fellow employees were everywhere, all being busy.

Rinoa left the elevator when it reached her destination and made her way down the hall and to her desk. All the desks were separated by translucent glass walls that form miniature offices. Rinoa walked through her swinging door and sat in her computer chair.

After he visit with Quistis, she had gone back home to grab her work bag. Inside were the papers she finished two days ago, the papers she had to submit to the boss. It had been an extensive article and she had spent hours researching and rewriting it. Finally, she had been satisfied and placed them in a manila envelope. She pulled this out of her black bag and took a deep breath, readying herself. She hoped it would be adequate at least. She definitely needed this job.

Rinoa set her bag against the wall next to her desk before leaving. Once she left her 'office', multiple employees waved and said their greetings. She liked her friends at her job but she tended to stray from them while she was working, she couldn't afford to slack off as they did. She had just gotten this job a few months ago so she worried constantly about doing anything wrong, afraid she'd be fired.

Reaching her bosses door, which everyone called Cid, she knocked and waited. He called the brunette in shortly after. She opened the door and walked into the professional looking office. The back, behind Cid was completely glass.

"Hello, Mr. Cid." Rinoa greeted. A grin flashed across Cid's face as he motioned towards a chair across from him.

"Please, sit." He welcomed. She took her seat and waited for him to continue.

"Your work? Have you written the article?" He asked, looking at her through his thick glasses. She nodded and opened the folder, pulling out the papers and handing them over. Cid took them in his aged hands and began to read quickly. He scanned over them and made multiple nods and 'hmm' noises. She watched, biting her lip anxiously. A moment later, he set the papers down, and smiled at Rinoa.

The day was over and Rinoa walked from her building with a smile adorning her face. She'd done it, she'd written the article wonderfully and Cid had been very pleased; saying that he was glad to have hired her. She skipped happily for a moment, swinging her bag. Rinoa was incredibly proud of herself. The first big thing at her new job and she'd done right. _Oh yeah, that's right! I'm the best!_ She thought giddily, almost saying it outloud. She glanced around, a hand to her cheek.

It was night, the sun having set about an hour ago, and people still walked the streets, though not as much as earlier. Of course, the brunette was so caught up in her own happy place that she didn't see the wall of flesh before she skipped right into it.

"Whoa!" Rinoa gasped as she fell backwards. She landed on the icy sidewalk, pouting as she noticed that her smacking into the man in front of her had barely jostled him. She winced at the pain in her backside as the man jerked around and stared down at her.

"…Are you alright?" He asked after a moment and hesitantly offered his hand. Rinoa looked up and froze. _Good lord…_ she thought, taking in his features._ I've never seen him before…_ She forced herself to move, taking his gloved hand. The man pulled her to her feet before picking up her bag and handing it to her.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking were I was going." She stated, smiling in embarrassment. The man raised an eyebrow.

"Apparently." He stated, making Rinoa blush heavily.

"I'm Rinoa Heartilly. Pleased to smack into you." She joked. She thought for a moment that amusement shown in his gray eyes but he didn't smile. She offered her hand.

"Squall Leonhart." He stated, shaking her hand after a seconds hesitation. He glanced away in thought before turning back to the woman.

"I've got to go. I guess I'll see you." He stated. Squall turned and began to walk away.

"See ya around." Rinoa said, starstruck. He must've still heard her because he waved back. She watched him go. _Gorgeous with a capital G!_ She thought.He had layered brown hair, tan skin, gray eyes and a beautiful body. The only reason she knew that was because of his tight white shirt and black leather pants. A grin swept across her face. The best thing, she realized, was that he wasn't cold or impolite, though his words seemed to be, he was just shy, she noted.

It was in his eyes. Her mother had once told her that a person's soul could be read from their eyes and Rinoa knew it to be true. She smiled after Squall wistfully. She hadn't expected that the day after her breakup with Seifer that she'd run into someone like that but she wasn't complaining. As she turned to continue home, she hoped she'd see the man again.

**Author's notes:**_ So this is ch. 2. I hoped you enjoyed it. I know nothing all that exciting happened but you just wait. Anyway, I played with the idea of putting Squall's intro into ch. 3 but I'm biased, I love him too much! Review and such, ch.3 coming up soon!_


	3. Wounded

One With You

A FFVIII Fanfiction by: **Kayla Martin** A.K.A **Kei** A.K.A **Re-Fantasy-Goddess**  
>I do not own any of these characters, only the storyline. Review and such. I would appreciate no Rinoa bashing. It seriously annoys me.<p>

**Chapter 3: Empty**

Squall stepped through the doorway and spotted Zell immediately. Resisting the urge to turn around and walk right back out, he forced himself to go over to him. Zell was speaking to Selphie Tilmitt, an irritating young woman that Squall tended to avoid. Oh, she was nice but awfully rambunctious. He came to stand behind Zell and, after a moment, sighed. _'This boy needs to pay more attention in his martial arts class…' _After all, martial artists were never caught off guard. The blonde froze and turned slowly, his face tattoo coming into view. When he saw that it was Squall he turned fully and grinned like an idiot. In Squall's opinion anyway.

"Heya, buddy!" He greeted, making Selphie giggle. Squall glared at the man before chucking his bag at him.

"Stop leaving your stuff in my apartment, Zell." Squall warned, his face slightly irritated. The blonde laughed sheepishly as he lifted his mistreated bag.

"And stop eating all of my food." He added. Whenever Zell decided to pop in, he tended to eat everything in sight, making Squall go to the grocery store immediately after. _'Why do I even bother? I know he won't listen. I could always toss him out my apartment window while he's unconscious. Sleeps like a rock anyway…'_ Squall thought to himself, all the while staring at him with a bored expression on his face.

"Well, sooorryy." The blonde mocked, pouting like a child. Squall rolled his eyes as he placed a hand on his hip impatiently. Part of him may have liked Zell, but only a small part, and only because he'd known him since they had both been fourteen.

"Oh!" The boy perked up and smiled deviously at Squall, who stared uninterestedly back at him.

"Hey, you never started dating, right? Y'know, after I set you up with Selphie?" He asked. _'…Oh no…' _Squall almost groaned, immediately knowing where he was going with it. The date with Selphie had been horrible for both of them. She talked too much and he didn't talk at all. _'Never going to open that drawer again…' _ Squall hesitantly shook his head and watched in chagrin as an even bigger smile broke out of Zell.

"Well, I wanna set you up with someone! You'll like her; she's super sweet, totally cute." He said. _'Then why are you pitching her to me?'_ The brunette wandered.

"Why don't _you_ date her, Zell?" He asked, watching as Zell fidgeted.

"Well, I can't... You see, she's kind of my brothers ex." He explained. _'Seifer…' _Squall scoffed and turned to leave the cafeteria of Trabia University, one of the many colleges in Deling City. The college that Zell went to, of course.

"H-hey, c'mon, I'm just trying to help." Zell called after him. Squall waved a hand dismissively.

"Not interested." He said, leaving the building.

Zell sighed and gazed at Selphie.

"Think I shouldn't have mentioned that she was Seifer's ex?" He asked. Selphie giggled.

"Definitely not." She stated, taking his hand. Zell thought that Seifer had been a complete ass towards Rinoa. She had always been there for him, understanding him, even going places she didn't like to make him happy. What more could he have wanted. Zell glared at the floor at that. '_Of course_,' he thought. '_He'd wanted sex. Just because Rinoa wanted to stay a virgin till she got married, too. Whatever, she was too good for him.'_

Squall stepped into his apartment, laying the paper bag on the counter to his left that framed the edge of the kitchen. He glanced to the couch and glared at the blanket Zell hadn't put back up. _'I'm not some type of clean-freak but he could at least straighten up a little…' _He thought to himself, something he did a lot, probably too much. After his sister, Ellone had been in the car wreck with his mother, Raine; both dying on the scene, Squall had retreated into his own mind. He barely ever conversed with anyone unless he'd known them for an extended period of time.

Of course, Zell had been an exception. He'd known him before and after the death of his two family members. When they were younger, his mother had forced them together because she thought that her son was too unsociable. Squall rolled his eyes at the thought, putting away the random food he'd just bought, along with the sodas that only Zell would drink.

After a moment, his thoughts strayed back to Ellone, his best friend, his only sister. _'My __**dead**__ sister…' _With the memory of her came the memory of Seifer. Squall would forever hate him. Seifer had dated Ellone and had been her boyfriend the time of her death. _'The bastard… He didn't even go to her funeral.'_ Resentment washed over the man and he sighed, pulling out a chair at the little table in his kitchen and sat before burying his face in his hands. _'Ellone… Raine…'_

She flipped her hair over her shoulder and looked away from the man in front of her. Rinoa had just come to Starbucks to grab a coffee and head off to the library but, as usual, her luck had bit in the ass. Seifer had walked in, looking incredibly nervous the moment his eyes found her. Rinoa crossed her arms as he fidgeted.

"Well? Is there anything you would like to say to me?" She asked, or rather demanded considering the tone of voice she used. Seifer sighed. _'Is it just me or does he look guilty…?'_

"I'm not here for you, Rinoa." He stated. The pang that hit her heart was fierce but she remained composed, not letting him know.

"Then why are you here? You don't even like coffee." Rinoa kept the some-what conversation going, secretly wanting him to take her back, to say he **was** there for her and to say he loved her. _'And actually mean it…' _

Before he could answer, the doors behind him opened, letting in a fresh gust of frigid air, and a woman walked in. Rinoa couldn't see who since Seifer damn near towered of her but she **did** see the thin arms wrap around his waist. She **did** see how Seifer looked; not particularly surprised, like he knew who it was, and a little mortified.

'_He's here to meet someone… But it's only been three days…' _She thought, wanting to look down but not being able to turn her face or her gaze away. Seifer turned immediately and gently pushed the woman back a few steps, whispering to her indistinctly.

"What-" Rinoa started, grabbing his shoulder and pulling him away. She wouldn't admit it but she was desperate to see. When she did, when Seifer stumbled out of the way, she felt her stomach drop, her face contort in pain and betrayal. She stepped back, stumbling herself, and stared at Quistis in shock. The blonde's face mirrored her own. Beneath that, Rinoa could see one thing for sure. Bitterness… dislike for her, for Rinoa.

"Q-Quistis?" She asked. It was as if she wasn't sure of what she was seeing, like a mirage. Seifer stood to the side, his face wary. Quistis said nothing. Rinoa looked at Seifer after a moment, noticing she was crying by the blurry look of him.

"Rinoa-' He started but she didn't let him finish. The brunette turned and walked right passed the two and through the doors, out into the wintery afternoon. She had heard everything she'd needed to from the tone of his voice. The absolute pity he held for her made her so **angry** and hurt. She tried to keep her mind from asking herself how long they'd been doing this.

Had the two begun dating as soon as they'd broken up? Had he… left her for Quistis? The questions continued as she walked down the street to her original destination, the library, with her hands clenched and her face clearly showing her pain. She wanted to rip her heart out and throw it down the street for how much good it was doing her. She felt her tears pooling but they never fell, she wouldn't allow it. She'd told herself she wouldn't cry for him anymore when he so obviously cared so little for her.

Squall flipped through the magazine section of the Deling Community Library. He'd come here for a weapons magazine, seeing as he had exhausted his own supply. He lifted a new issue, beginning his reading. What could he say? It was a hobby. As he read, the doors opened and a slight breeze brushed by him.

He glanced up in time to see a young woman brush passed him and seat herself at a table in the far corner, away from everyone. Squall focused more on her after a moment, noticing how her hands were clenched. Her face was turned away from him but he figured that, considering her body language, she would look angry.

And then he started to grasp that she looked familiar. _'Who…?'_ He thought for a moment before finally realized that she was the girl who had smacked right into him yesterday. He pondered for a moment, not remembering her name. _'Renee? No… Rinoa. That's it.'_ Squall concluded. He shook his head and was about to return his attention to his magazine when the doors opened again and a man stormed by him. He stiffened, hoping his peripheral vision was defective.

Squall looked up again, feeling like a sniper would. '_If only I had a gun…'_ He thought when he saw the man who was unmistakable. Seifer. Seifer Almasy. The man walked right up to her, to Rinoa, and sat across from her. His expression was pleading. He said something and Rinoa shook her head in a jerking motion. Seifer winced.

Squall, curious for once, walked forward and leaned against the book shelf near them. He couldn't see the tow but he could hear them.

"Please, Rinoa-" He started but her voice cut him off.

"How long did you wait? An hour? And why her? She's supposed to be my best friend." She said. Squall thought that she wanted to yell, to scream, from the way her voice cracked.

"I… I didn't wait… at all." He said.

"W-what?" Rinoa asked, sniffling lightly.

"What I mean is, Quistis and I… We've been dating for… for about a week and a half, Rinoa." He finished. Squall heard an intake of air, probably by Rinoa.

"You… cheated on me?" She whispered. _'Now I get it…'_ Squall thought angrily. He hadn't really understood what their conversation was about until she'd said that. '_So, Seifer cheated with her best friend? Of course…'_

"Rinoa, I'm sorry, I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want to hurt you. I care about you, really." Seifer pleaded, making Rinoa laugh dryly. Neither said anything for a moment and Squall was about to walk away when Seifer sighed.

"Rinoa-" He began, but her broken whisper cut him off.

"Just stay away from me." She said with finality. After a moment, Squall heard a chair move and then the blonde trudged by him, not even noticing the brunette. Squall didn't even notice the crinkled magazine in his fist until he looked down. With a sigh, he unclenched his fist and galred at the floor. A sob sounded from the table behind the bookshelf, making Squall turn slightly and spy around the corner.

Rinoa sat, face in her hands, crying her heart out. If only she could.

**Author's notes**: Alrighty, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Next chapter might be longer… *shrugs* Andway, review and tell me what ya thought.


	4. Find Your Way

One With You

A FFVIII Fanfiction by: **Kayla Martin** A.K.A **Kei** A.K.A **Re-Fantasy-Goddess**  
>I do not own any of these characters, only the storyline. Review and such. I would appreciate no Rinoa bashing. It seriously annoys me.<p>

**Chapter 4: Find Your Way**

"How could you do that? After all she's done for you and-" Zell cut off, looking for the right words. Seifer just sat on the couch of the home they shared. Of course, at this moment, Zell was seriously considering moving out. _'There's no way Squall would let me live with him… Yeah, he'd end up shooting me in the face eventually.'_ The thought almost made him laugh. Almost.

Right now, Zell was worried about Rinoa. A woman he only knew because she had been with his brother. But she had also gained Zell's respect and considered her a friend. Now, with the secret of Seifer's cheating hanging over her head… It had been a week since Seifer had told her before leaving her in the library. The only reason that Zell knew this was because he had walked by Seifer's room while Quistis was there, telling her everything that had happened.

The worst part was the way Seifer sounded; completely uncaring to Rinoa's pain. What Zell couldn't understand was that Seifer seemed to care at some points but whenever Quistis came around, he couldn't care less about Rinoa.

Seifer just sat there, on the living room couch, pretending that Zell wasn't right in front of him. After a moment of silence, the younger brother turned and stalked away, knowing that no matter what he said, Seifer would never listen; especially when it came to Quistis.

Nearly scoffing, he trudged up the stairs and into his bedroom. Selphie looked up from the edge of his bed, where she sat Indian style playing his psp.

"You okay?" She asked, her sweet voice calming his nerves. Zell sighed as he came to stand beside her and plop himself on the bed.

"Hey, Selph?" He started. The girl turned her bright green eyes to him in question.

"I was wondering… Would you feel up to meeting Rinoa?"

She flipped over in bed, feeling Angelo's huge head resting on her stomach, making it hard for her to breathe. The dog turned his head and stared at her, seeing that she was awake. Rinoa sighed, patting his back before finally sitting up and shifting the blankets away. She grimaced as she remembered what she had to do today. _'Find a job…'_ She thought. With another aggravated sigh, she stood and trudged into the bathroom and nearly tossing herself into the shower.

Rinoa thought about the past few days as she showered. She'd been fired from her very important job because her depression was apparently 'affecting other employees.' She glared at the tiled wall. _'Completely ridiculous! It's none of their business…'_ She thought bitterly. Now she had to find a new job before her rent was due. Rinoa also knew that she could ask her father but she refused. The brunette wanted to live on her own now, already angry that she had let the man pay for her college. The woman finally stepped from the water and toweled off in silence, dressing soon after.

Walking from her room and heading towards the kitchen, Rinoa heard a deep but quiet bark. Someone was at her door and she knew immediately that it wasn't Seifer; Angelo would've growled.

"Hold it, big boy." She mumbled to him as she stalked over to her door. Pressing her hands to the wood, she peered through the peep hole and raised an eyebrow. _'Who…?'_ She wondered, staring for a moment at the little green-eyed brunette. After a moment, she hesitantly opened the door.

"Hiya!" The girl greeted exuberantly. Rinoa took a step back as Angelo came closer, instantly wary of the stranger.

"Umm, hi?" She half asked, petting Angelo on the head before lightly pushing him back. The girl offered her hand.

"I'm Selphie; your new best friend!"

Twisting the knob, Zell breezed right into the apartment and made his way to the couch. He saw from the corner of his eye that Squall had jerked his head up from where he sat at the counter and was now openly glaring. The look only made Zell's grin widen.

"You** could** knock." The gray-eyed man stated, a hand going to his forehead in irritation.

"Meh…" Zell muttered, switching the TV on and sifting through the channels. He heard the scrape of a chair as Squall stood and walked into the livingroom. Zell didn't know that the man stood behind him until Squall smacked him on the back of the head with a magazine.

"OW! Geesh!" Zell complained, rubbing the sore spot. Squall smirked to himself as he turned to walk away.

"Oh, wait!" Zell said, nearly toppling over the couch as he twisted to hang over the back of the furniture. Squall turned unwillingly to stare at the blonde.

"Alright! You know about that date I asked you about? Y'know, with Seifer's ex?" Zell winced on the last part, aware of Squall resentful look, however watered down it was.

"Yes?" He asked, looking even more irate than before. Zell chuckled nervously.

"Well, have ya thought about it? I mean, you never know…" He insisted. Squall stared at him, saying nothing.

"Look, I just think that she deserves better than Seifer and we both know that you are. Even if you don't like to talk." He finished with a grin. The brunette shook his head, making for the door a moment later.

Zell pursed his lips, miffed by Squall's attitude. _'I swear, ya never know what the guy's thinkin'.'_

Squall stepped from his apartment and turned towards the stairs that led to the lobby. _'Rinoa…'_ He thought. _'Yeah… She definitely deserves someone better. But why would Zell think of me? He knows I'm not interested in dating.'_ He glared for a moment, thinking of the blonde's girlfriend._ 'There's no doubt it was Selphie's idea. I bet she's a secret match-maker. Probably even has her own business card.'_ He pondered, taking the second flight of stairs down and finally reaching the door that led into the lobby.

He walked swiftly from the building and headed left, down the street, towards his father's bar. It wasn't a place he enjoyed visiting too often but if he didn't, the man would come to his apartment and, much like Zell, sweep across it like a damn tornado. Squall guessed that he got his tidiness from his mother.

Laguna, that was the man's name, tended to be happy-go-lucky and act as if there was never a thing wrong. It had been that attitude that had driven Squall away to college for four years. He couldn't stand that, even after the accident that took his mother and sister's lives, Laguna continued to act as if he didn't have a care in the world.

Of course, the man wasn't heartless. Laguna only acted the way he did because he was trying to keep Squall from going into a depression. He had never been fooled though. When Squall was a child, he'd walk by his parents room and see his father sitting on the edge of the bed, clutching his wife's wedding ring to his chest, and sobbing like his heart was shattered. No, Squall had never been fooled by the appearance of happiness that radiated from the older man but he did appreciate the attempt. He knew that his father was only trying to help.

'_And now, I'm all he has…'_ Squall thought to himself as he came to the entrance of Galbadia Hotel. Laguna owned the hotel and the bar downstairs. It was one of the most popular hotels and hangouts in the city.

With an aggravated sigh, the young man pushed through the glass doors, nodded at the receptionist and heading down the elegant flight of curving stairs that led to the bar. He spotted Laguna instantly. The man had long, charcoal hair, vibrant green eyes, and lightly tanned skin. Women tended to flirt with the man but Laguna appeared to be oblivious. _'Or maybe…' _Squall thought. _'He really didn't notice at all. Wouldn't surprise me…'_

"Son!"

Squall's head jerked towards his father and he wanted to groan at the scene. His father was reaching over the bar and waving exuberantly. Stifling the urge to bolt, the young man trudged to meet Laguna. His sat on one of the many bar stools, staring at the man.

"You'll break your hand waving like that." He said.

"Naw! I'm just so happy to see you. I gotta say, I was about a day from storming right into that apartment of yours." Laguna finished.

'_Of course you were. I wouldn't be surprised if you had come today…'_ Squall thought to himself, wanting to shake his head. Laguna poured a drink and chugged, not bothering to make one for Squall, considering the fact that the young man didn't drink.

"Well, then, what have you been up to?" Laguna asked, spying at Squall through the bottom of the glass playfully.

"… I saw Seifer the other day." He started. Squall noted how his father's grip tightened on the pour cup, nearly breaking it.

"Oh?" He asked, nonchalantly. Laguna tried to mask his instant disgust in the man mentioned. He knew his anger would only spur Squall to act on his own. The young man turned his head, looking across the room, before he spoke.

"From what I could tell… He cheated on this girl." He stated, trying to sound uninterested. His irritation at Seifer was mostly because of the fact that the man hadn't changed at all. Possibly worse.

"Not surprised. Who was she?" His father asked. Squall sighed and turned back to the man.

"Rinoa. I ran into her before though. She… seemed nice." He finished. If he had been looking at Laguna, he would have noticed the smirk adorning his face.

"Considered dating again?" His father asked. Squall glared at him. _'God, not this again.'_ He thought, already standing to leave.

"I don't think so." He said, turning and making for the stairs. He heard his father chuckling behind him.

"Well alright, but you know I always have someone set up for you-"

His father's voice faded as he hit the stairs and ascended them. _'I don't understand why everyone thinks that I need someone…'_

"Oh! I know somewhere that you could get a job!" Selphie enthused, jumping up and down as her and Rinoa strolled down the street. Rinoa smiled half-heartedly at the girl.

"C'mon! I think it's a good idea! Plus, the boss is super nice!" The girl continued, grabbing one of Rinoa's gloved hands and pulling her down the street.

"Um, Selphie, are you sure? I mean, what type of job is it?" Rinoa asked hesitantly, worried for the answer. _'Good lord, let it be moral.'_ She thought. Selphie giggled as she twirled by some random people walking the opposite way.

"You'll see!" She said, winking. Rinoa sure did feel like she'd had a year's worth of Selphie's enthusiasm and it's only been about an hour. The girl had shown up at her door saying Zell had sent her and she had thought that Rinoa could use a day out. When the woman had said that she really had to find a job instead of playing around, the girl had immediately asked if she could help.

And so, here they were, on their way to some place that she could probably get a job at. Rinoa liked Selphie already but the ridiculous amount of cheerfulness was a little much for her glum mood. Still, Rinoa tried to keep up with her.

It didn't take long to get to the place that the girl mentioned. Rinoa only knew they were their when she stopped in front of two large glass doors.

"Galbadia Hotel?" Rinoa asked, staring at Selphie. She just grinned and pulled her inside. Selphie smiled at the people in the lobby before pulling her down the stairs. The place was beautiful, she'd give it that. Once they hit the carpeted floor at the bottom of the stairs, the girl pulled her over to the bar where a man served drinks.

"Hey, Laguna!" She greeted happily. The man turned immediately and smiled widely at the girl.

"Selphie, it's so good to see you!" He enthused, leaving the bar and going over to the two and hugging her. Rinoa stood off to the side and waited.

"Oh, Laguna, I want you to meet my new friend! She needs a job right now and I instantly thought of you!" She said, getting to the point. Laguna nodded and turned to Rinoa.

"This is Rinoa Heartilly." Selphie informed. The man's eyes widened slightly before he offered his hand.

"Laguna Loire, at your service."

_**Author's notes:**__ Okay, so I'm hoping all of you have enjoyed this story so far. I want to thank you guys for reading and supporting me. Believe me; I need it so that I'll have the confidence to become the writer I dream of being. Review please, it is much appreciated._


	5. Busy Busy Busy

**Author's Notes:** Okay, I know I haven't been posting anything but it's because I've been studying for my GED and reading the HP series (yes, I'm a dork) so I haven't been writing much but don't worry, the next chapter's in progress. Hopefully you all will love it!


End file.
